1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of apparatus used to aid the blind and visually handicapped and in particular, relates to devices used to guide the visually handicapped along walkways and through passages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Types of devices previously used by the blind and visually handicapped to aid their movement along walkways, halls and paths have typically been limited to items such as canes, sticks and specially trained dogs. Each of these aids are subject to significant limitations. For example, the use of a cane or a stick aids the individual in extending his tactile feel beyond the range of his natural extremities. Thus, the the walkway is that which is communicated through the cane by collision between the end of the cane approximately six to eight feet distant from the user's hand. Clearly, the cane may not collide with all obstacles and provides a limited amount of information to the user. Thus, the blind or visually handicapped person must make numerous deductions and assumptions based upon partial information provided by the tactile extension of the cane or walking stick together with information which he is able to accumulate by hearing or by assumption as to the general context in which he believes himself to be. In situations where such a person is in a strange area or has defective hearing or in which hearing is difficult, the significance of information provided by the cane is even more limited. The use of seeing-eye dogs permits the user to substitute the eyes and behavorial training of the animal for his own. Thus, the information provided by the pull of the dog's harness to the user's hand is similarly limited by the intelligence of the animal, and the degree of training and behavorial modification which has been imprinted upon the animal. Clearly, in situations in which the animal has not been trained, the animal may be unable to provide an appropriate response. Moreover, the use of animals is expensive and sometimes inconvenient. Many seeing individuals who are nevertheless visually handicapped, cannot justify use of such an aid.
Therefore, what is needed is an inexpensive device which can be used by the blind and visually handicapped to provide guidance along paths, walkways, hallways, stairs and the like, even in cases where such areas may be totally unfamiliar to the handicapped person. The present invention overcomes each of the prior art disadvantages and provides an appropriate solution.